Professor Paul O'Brien
BSc PhD DSc CChem FRSC
Paul O'Brien is recognised as both a professional chemist (CChem FRSC) and an engineer (CEng FIMMM). He has for the last ten years been a member of the Chemistry Department and the Manchester Materials Science Centre (MMSC), now both part of the University of Manchester.
He is a firm advocate of the promotion of science and engineering to the general public and has lectured widely especially on nanotechnology and at venues as diverse as the Royal Society, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Arts.
He has also lectured on the value of science to the economy, most notably to the annual conference of Defence Science and Technology Laboratory scientists and to the Defence Academy UK (a high level course for senior officers, policemen and diplomats from many countries).
In 2003 he was Chemistry President for the British Association for the Advancement of Science. He has also been involved in the innovative Café Scientifique programme and a feature of his work appears at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.
He was a founder of Nanco a very successful spinout company now AIM listed. His research interest largely concern materials processing and this work has been recognized by the Kroll Medal (IOMMM) and the first Peter Day Award from the RSC in 2010.
He has been Chair of RSC's External Relations Board and has served on RSC Council since 2003. Paul O'Brien was Research Dean in the University of Manchester 2000-2002 and Head of the Department and then the School from 2002 to 2009.
